How To Renew Your Global Entry Membership (And a Trick to Getting a Quick Approval)

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Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) screening program that allows low-risk, pre-approved, international travelers expedited entry into the United States. And it's not just helpful for international travel. Global Entry members enjoy TSA PreCheck access as well. That makes Global Entry an excellent tool for frequent travelers. Even better, you can get Global Entry for nothing out of pocket through various travel rewards credit cards.

But if you're reading this post, you already know about how amazing Global Entry is. And, like me, your Global Entry expiration date is coming up.

Here's what you need to know about the Global Entry renewal process.

When Does Your Global Entry Membership Expire?

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ties your Global Entry membership expiration date to your birthday. So, if you have a birthday coming up, it's worth checking if this is the one on which your Global Entry membership will expire.

To find your Global Entry expiration date, log into your Trusted Traveler Program dashboard. Scroll down to the “Program Memberships” section to see your expiration date.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

If your expiration is within the next year — as mine is at the time of writing — you'll see a large blue box reminding you to renew your Global Entry membership.

When Can You Renew Your Global Entry Membership?

You can renew your Global Entry membership anytime within a year of your expiration date. That means you have from one birthday to the next to complete the process and extend your membership.

The good news is that there's no penalty for renewing your Global Entry membership early. CBP simply adds five more years to your membership whenever you complete the process. That means if you renew your membership 11 months before your expiration date, you won't have to worry about your membership expiring for another five years and 11 months.

How to Submit a Global Entry Renewal

Since my Global Entry membership is up for renewal, let's walk through the process together. First, you'll need to log into your Trusted Traveler Program dashboard. Logging in generally requires a Login.gov account and two-factor authentication through an authentication app. So, make sure you have your phone handy. You'll also likely want your passport and driver's license on hand.

Once logged in, scroll down to your “Program Memberships” and click “Renew Membership.”

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Next, you'll need to confirm your citizenship status. If you aren't a United States citizen, you'll need to answer additional questions and bring additional documents to your interview.

Selecting which program(s) to apply for

The first step in renewing is to select your preferred Trusted Traveler program. For most AwardWallet readers, this is likely to be Global Entry. However, if you frequently travel by car between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico, you can consider applying for NEXUS or SENTRI instead.

Global Entry Trusted Travelers re-enter the United States through expedited lanes in airports. However, you need NEXUS or SENTRI to use the expedited lanes when driving between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Note that I'm renewing just before the Global Entry application fees increase. Starting October 1, 2024, CBP is harmonizing the application fees for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI at $120. Don't worry about this fee increase if you plan to use a credit card statement credit to offset your application fee. That's because credit card issuers have increased their statement credits to match the higher application fee.

If you're renewing Global Entry, you'll next be asked if you plan to fly internationally into the U.S. in the next six months. If so, you may be able to complete your Global Entry interview — if required — upon arrival.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

You'll have the option to add an APEC Business Travel Card to your application. This program costs an additional $70 and is designed for frequent business travelers to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries. Carrying an APEC card effectively grants you Global Entry-like fast-track entry upon arrival in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and even Chile.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Next, you must acknowledge the application requirements for renewing your Global Entry membership. Customs and Border Protection will complete a background check as part of your Global Entry renewal. This page states in no uncertain terms that you'll need to schedule an interview — or complete your interview on arrival back into the United States — once you're conditionally approved.

If you agree to the terms, click the “Apply for Global Entry” button at the bottom of the page.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Filling out your Global Entry renewal application

Next, you either confirm or update all your personal information. Since you're completing a Global Entry renewal instead of applying for the first time, your application will be pre-filled using information you've previously provided.

Global Entry renewal application requirements

You'll need to confirm or correct information, including:

• Full name and date of birth
• Email address and phone number
• Gender, eye color, height
• Previous names (if applicable)
• Passport information
• Driver's license information
• Vehicle information — only if you plan to drive across the border with Canada or Mexico
• Current address info
• Current employment information — and past employment for the past five years

If your passport or driver's license has changed since your last application — as mine had — you'll need to provide the details of these new ID cards. So, you might want to have them on hand to avoid your application timing out.

Finally, you'll be prompted to select which countries you’ve visited since your last application. If you travel frequently or don't have good records, this might be the most time-consuming part of your application.

Need help compiling your travel history? Check your AwardWallet Travel Summary for an exportable file with details of which countries you visited. Just click the countries tab and then click the “Export With Dates” button to download the file.

AwardWallet Travel Summary page showing the option to export your personal travel history.

If you've visited the Korean peninsula, be careful when choosing which Korea you select from the country list. Hint: South Korea is the “Korea – Republic Of” option. North Korea is officially the “Democratic People's Republic Of Korea.”

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Lastly, you'll be asked background questions about any criminal history, if you've been denied entry to the U.S., any customs violations, and immigration violations.

If you answer no to all of these, you can proceed to review your Global Entry renewal application. Then, you must view and acknowledge a couple of privacy statements before you can certify your application.

Pay your Global Entry renewal application fee

The final step before submitting your application is paying the non-refundable application fee. Many travel cards offer a statement credit to offset this fee, so choose your card wisely. (See the next section for a list of recommendations.) Once your payment is processed, it will return to the main menu which displays your current application status.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Which Credit Card Should You Use to Pay Global Entry Application Fee?

Many cards offer a statement credit that will offset the Global Entry (or TSA PreCheck) application fee. Note that this isn't an annual credit. Instead, you'll only be reimbursed every four to five years — depending on the card's terms.

Here's a roundup of the best cards that offer a Global Entry application fee reimbursement:

Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.

How to Check Your Global Entry Application Status

Submitted your Global Entry renewal and wondering about your application status? Just log back into your Trusted Traveler Program dashboard and scroll down to the “applications in progress” section to see the latest status of your Global Entry application.

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

If your Global Entry renewal application hasn't been approved yet, you'll see an hourglass icon next to the “wait for conditional approval” line.

Or, if your application has been approved without requiring an interview — as I was lucky enough to experience — you'll find your application status in the “program membership” section noting that your application has been approved:

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

Global Entry Renewal Application Timeline

On its website, the Department of Homeland Security warns that initial Global Entry applications “can exceed 90 days.” However, that backlog doesn't seem to be affecting Global Entry renewals — at least as of writing.

I submitted my Global Entry renewal on Monday, September 9 and received a message on Tuesday, September 10 that my application had been accepted — no interview required!

Credit: Department of Homeland Security

I can't imagine that this incredibly quick turnaround time is common, and it's worth mentioning one extenuating circumstance: I was scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles (LAX) on September 12, and CBP was surely aware of this fact.

It's possible that my renewal was bumped to the front of the line so that Customs and Border Protection could decide whether or not I should complete an interview upon arrival on that date. That's even more incentive for you to get your Global Entry renewal application in before your next international trip!

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